Sleet was in the air with snow forecast. It takes more than a cold snap to deter the King's Hall audience. If it's quarter past one on a term time Thursday afternoon they turn out whatever the weather. This afternoon's concert presented the unusual duo combination of harp and double bass.
Australian-born harpist Tara Minton is active on the London jazz scene, likewise Saltburn-born double bass player John Williamson. In a highly accessible programme of seven compositions plus an encore, Minton did the talking, harping and singing. Williamson is capable of speaking but didn't, preferring to concentrate on his bass playing. Dave Holland's Dream of the Elders, with lyrics by Norma Winstone, opened the performance, a performance warmly received by another sizeable crowd in Armstrong Building.
Enquiring of the audience if anyone had heard of Dorothy Ashby, Minton was suitably impressed when a few voices piped up in the affirmative. Minton and Williamson played American harpist Ashby's Games with its old school swing element, On the Sunny Side of the Street was given a similarly swinging treatment. Williamson came to the fore on John Taylor's Whirlpool, an exquisite Moon River and the set closing Caravan.
Our duo exited stage left, swiftly returning to play a well deserved encore. The Beatles' Blackbird an excellent choice, light, airy with spring (hopefully) just around the corner.
Set list: Dreams of the Elders; Games; On the Sunny Side of the Street; The Shadow of Your Smile; Whirlpool; Moon River; Caravan; Blackbird.
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